Bioactive Compounds in Tropical Fruit Systems

Tropical fruit systems encompass a vast array of species that produce diverse classes of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins and a variety of secondary metabolites. These compounds contribute not only to the organoleptic qualities of fruits but also to their health-promoting properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Recent advances in analytical chemistry and metabolomics have facilitated detailed profiling of sugars, organic acids, amino acids and phytochemicals, revealing considerable intra- and inter-species variability driven by genetics, environmental factors and post-harvest handling. There is growing interest in under-utilised tropical fruits, native to regions such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, West Africa and Southeast Asia, both for their unique phytochemical signatures and their potential to support sustainable livelihoods. Efforts to integrate metabolic profiling with agronomic selection have begun to inform breeding programmes aimed at enhancing key bioactive profiles. Moreover, the valorisation of fruit by-products—peels, seeds and pomace—has created novel opportunities for the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Taken together, research on tropical fruit bioactives underlines their global significance in nutrition, public health and industrial innovation, while also highlighting the need for interdisciplinary approaches that span molecular characterisation, processing technologies and socio-economic assessment.

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Bioactive Compounds in Tropical Fruit Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in bioactive compounds in tropical fruit systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Bioactive compound: A naturally occurring molecule in food that exerts biological effects in humans beyond basic nutrition.

Phenolic compound: A class of secondary metabolites characterised by one or more hydroxylated aromatic rings, known for antioxidant activity.

Carotenoid: A lipophilic pigment responsible for red, orange or yellow colours in plants, with roles in antioxidation and vitamin A precursors.

Metabolomic profiling: A high-throughput analytical approach to identify and quantify small molecules (metabolites) in biological samples.

Antioxidant activity: The capacity of a substance to scavenge free radicals or to inhibit oxidative processes, often measured by assays such as DPPH or ORAC.

References

1. Nutritional and biological attributes of Spondias tuberosa (Umbu) fruit: An integrative review with a systematic approach. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (2024).
2. Quality Attributes and Metabolic Profiles of Uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis), a Native Brazilian Atlantic Forest Fruit. Foods (2023).
3. Chemical composition, bioactive compounds, and perspectives for the industrial formulation of health products from uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Cambess – Myrtaceae): A comprehensive review. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (2022).